Abstract
Surface growth topography of grain boundary (GB) areas has been studied on aluminium films deposited at 570 K on mica, NaCl and glass substrates at different levels of oxygen contamination. Broad and deep GB grooves decorated by secondary nuclei were found in highly contaminated films, while hills bordered by pinned growth steps were present at very low oxygen contamination in films deposited on NaCl. Hills were observed at all types of [III] tilt boundaries independent on their azimuthal orientations. A model has been proposed for the interpretation of the development of GB grooves and hills. The model was based on the processes of monolayer crystal growth controlled by the purity of GBs. Pure GBs can be active in the nucleation of monolayers growing the crystals, while contaminated GBs are adsorption sites where impurity species are preferentially segregated and incorporated. Transmission electron microscopy of Pt shadowed films was used to study the GB displacements taking place in high purity films.
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